Wednesday, April 29, 2015

While gathering completed works for the Hillsboro library show I put my hand on a collage that needed help. I liked the concept and most of the details but the design of the flower and the title weren't right.

Red Flower

So I fixed it. And changed it's name. Now I like it.

Red Hot Mama

Jo Reimer's collages will be shown at the Hillsboro Main Library, 2850 NE Brookwood Pkwy, Hillsboro, OR 97124 throughout the months of May and June during library hours. You're invited to an artists reception in the Board Room on the second floor, Saturday May 16 between 2 and 4.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

I'm getting more done every day in preparation for my upcoming
collage show at the Hillsboro Main Library May 1 through June 30.

There's
a super gallery on the second floor of the library and my work will be
shown in the Alcove at the south end of the hallway. I've accumulated
quite a few new pieces to add to work from the last couple of years,
perhaps 35 works to show and I hope most of you who live in the Portland
area will be able to make it to the exhibit.

Hours are the same as
regular library hours, Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-6, Sun 12-6 with an artist's reception on Saturday May 16 from 2-4. Of course you're invited to the reception.

Show prep is so much more than making art. There's the first big job of planning the project, then ordering and distributing show cards, typing and printing labels, matting and framing, publicity, connecting with the venue, hanging the show, setting up and hosting the reception, and don't forget gnashing teeth and worrying.

I ordered some fabulous float frames from The Canvas Place for collages done on wood panels, but my boards are thinner than the frames are designed for so I figured out a way to lift and adhere the panel to the frame. I cut 1" balsa wood strips into little squares which I sprayed black to match the frames and glued these into each corner.

The hook side of sticky back Velcro will stick to this corner piece and the fuzzy side of the Velcro sticks to the back of each corner of the finished art on board...

... the painting attaches to the frame, and it's done. These floater frames also work for cradled canvases. Come to the show and see for yourself. All art will be for sale. Make a note of the piece(s) you want and give me a call to arrange the sale. My phone number is on each label.

Art Tip: Removing acrylic from hands

Use ordinary hand sanitizer to quickly remove acrylic paint and medium from your hands. The alcohol in the sanitizer dissolves the acrylic. Wipe well with a paper towel and then wash with soap and water.

Art Tip: brush cleaning

As I work with acrylic medium for glue or with acrylic paints I stand my brushes in a bucket of water on my work table and give them a soap and water cleanup every day or so. But eventually my brushes get gunky and sometimes I forget to clean them. That's when I clean them with Murphy's Oil Soap. I keep an inch of MOS mixed 1:1 with water in a tall plastic tub (Feta from Costco) and put caked brushes in that solution overnight. By the next day the soap has softened the brush and with a bit of elbow grease I can get the brushes back to useable. This also works for brushes used with oil paint. I gave up using oils but wanted to save those good brushes and Murphy's Oil Soap came to the rescue. Get it at the grocery store.